Hi people of Fan Fiction!

So, I just need to say a big ass thank you to everyone who read/reviewed my last story. Seriously. I got an overwhelming amount of love after that one, so THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm not namin' names of anything, but... YourDreamer138, woodlandfairykirk, Bear (whoever you may be), Sapphire Leo, MOTHER EFFING atari12, thebritish-elle, and the anons. ^_^

Anyways, love love, yada yada.

Oh, and this is modern AU, so...

Enjoy!

85. Stuck

It was 1993.

Toph's hands intertwined with Sokka's as the couple pounded the sidewalks, prowling through the crisp Ba Sing Se night. They were both young, both in love. They turned left, her bare feet lightly scraping along the sidewalk as he stumbled and laughed. She teetered into him, a grin splitting her face as she felt him tumble onto the ground, laughter spilling from his mouth.

The poor idiot was drunk. This was the seventh bar the two had stopped at, he was wearing the Docs that were just a tad bit too big, and, on top of that, he wasn't the most graceful guy. Toph was sober for a change. Her fingers danced over her stomach, feeling the slowly emerging bump under the flannel he had loaned her (she stole).

Extending her hand, Sokka took it. "Pull it together meathead," she chuckled, slugging him lightly in the arm. "The night's still young."

"Are you kidding? It's four in the morning," he laughed.

Toph and Sokka followed the steady flow of night crawlers as they poured into an newly renovated bar. The place used to be some crappy gallery for a woman in the Fire Nation. She gave it up to an old man named Iroh, who, in turn, let his young nephew run the place: Zuko.

The couple surpassed the long, anticipation-ridden line. They new Zuko as a personal friend; she used to live in the same apartment complex before moving in with Sokka.

The bouncer was familiar. A beautiful little thing with a large chest and a long braid. Scantily clad and strong as an ox. Ty Lee grinned at the pair, pulling back the curtain to let them inside. Protests erupted from the crowd behind them, but they slipped inside anyways.

Music greeted their ears.

The flashing lights burnt into Sokka's eyes as they danced and whirrled, pulsating to the beat of the music. People in mesh and colors, big boots and overalls. A Watertribe woman danced in a cage above their heads.

"Bar's over there," Toph shouted up to Sokka as they weaved their way through the flailing crowd. The bar was crowded, but they knew the bartender well, too. Zuko's gothic girlfriend, Mai.

With the help of Toph's trusty muscles, they shoved the annoying college kid in a beanie out of their way, beckoning to Mai. She rolled her eyes and sighed, setting down the glass she'd been polishing. Still, despite her gloomy disposition, she grinned at the familiar pair. Mai didn't like many people, but Toph and Sokka were one of the few exceptions.

"What can I get you guys?" she called over the din.

"None for me, unfortunately," Toph replied, patting her tummy.

"Oh, right," Mai nodded. "What'll it be then for this one?" Her thumb gestured towards Sokka.

"Snow Caps, ma' dear," he chirped. When that earned him a deep glare from the bartender, he laughed nervously. "Ah, Snow Caps...please."

She disappeared, before retuning with a tall glass of clear liquid. As he downed the drink, Mai leaned over the bar. "So, when's the baby due?"

"Ah...we still got seven months to go," Toph replied. "I don't get real fat until later."

"Didn't think you had it in you," a male voice piped. Zuko enveloped Mai in his arms from behind, nodding at the pair. "Way to go, Sokka."

Toph's smile virtually disappeared. Sokka chocked on his liquor. "He, uh...he isn't the father," Toph muttered. She felt their bodies go rigid, Mai poking Zuko in the gut with her pointy elbow.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to- " the scarred boy began. Toph held a hand up, silencing him.

"It's fine. You couldn't have known. It was before we were together anyways..."

She felt Sokka's calloused fingers twitch on her hip, before he set his glass down on the bar.

"Well, you guys should tell Iroh," Zuko retorted as Mai slinked away to help other clubbers. "He'd be happy for you." The young man wandered away, to attend to some manager-ly duties (not to get away from the awkwardness he had caused. No, that wasn't it at all...)

As Sokka quietly sipped at his drink, Toph surveyed the dance floor. People were moshing, jumping, thrusting, grinding, twirling, flailing. As much as a partier as she was, dancing in her condition in a crowd as...enthusiastic as this might not be ideal. Suddenly, a pair of footsteps thudded. So hard, so distinct, Toph's breath nearly caught in her throat.

The flinch in her body, however, didn't go unnoticed.

"Hey..." Sokka murmured, setting the glass down once more. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she lied.

"Well...I mean, what Zuko and Mai brought up, I mean- "

"No, that's not it," she quickly cut off, a frown cracking her face.

"Well what is it then?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "You don't usually get pissed for nothing, especially in a place like this."

"It's him," she grunts, rapping her fist on the counter.

"Him?"

"It's him."

After a moment of forethought, Sokka's eyes bulged out of his head, eyebrows shooting into his hairline. "What?" he whisper-yelled. "Where?"

"A yard behind us," Toph replied, with a calm shrug of her shoulders.

She could feel her boyfriend fidgeting, shifting his weight from foot to foot. On one hand, she found his anxiety hilarious. On the other, her feelings were somewhat mutual...to a lesser degree.

Suddenly, Sokka latched on to Toph's wrist, dragging her as he ran away. Her protests and obscenities didn't penetrate the wall of music that pulsed through the club, until he had safely shut the door behind them both.

"What the hell was that?" she shrieked as he fumbled to find a light switch. He pulled the chain that hung from the ceiling, soft yellow light enveloping the red room.

"I didn't want him to see us," Sokka shrugged.

Toph sighed, her head slightly hanging. "I don't care if we run into him, Sokka." She took a step forward, reaching up to cup his face. "I'm in love with you..." As her cheeks flushed, she quickly added, "Dude."

He let out a light laugh, planting a kiss on her lips. "Love you, too...dude."

"You really wanna sit in a coat closet all night?" she asked him.

"You really want him to know you're pregnant?" Sokka asked quietly.

Toph sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You know I don't care."

His light, unfiltered scoff retorted. "I know you do," he muttered under his breath.

The blind woman frowned. She didn't want to be angry with him, but sometimes, the meathead made it too damn easy. "This is about what Sparky said...isn't it?"

A pang struck Sokka's chest. "N-no," he stuttered.

"You're lying," she poked.

He felt his fists clench at his side. "So, what if I'm lying?" he spit, his brows furrowing. The alcohol pumping through his veins took control, bringing out his deep seeded insecurities. "I'm not allowed to be angry over the fact that my girlfriend cheated on me?"

His words were caustic; the moment he spat them, he regretted it. "Sokka," she hissed back. "That was different." Her words faltered, lost their spunk.

"Toph, you got drunk and...got it on with the assistant sifu. I hardly think that's 'different'."

"Look, I said I was sorry," she shouted, her voice bouncing around the small closet. "I know what I did was wrong...you're not obligated to stay with me, y'know."

Sokka sighed, scratching his head.

Their friends didn't know it, but they had been together for months before Toph had gotten pregnant. It was a secret affair. They both enjoyed the thrill of sneaking in kisses when a friend wasn't paying attention. The morning Toph returned home after having a drunken fling at another master's birthday party, Sokka refused to believe what foul ideas popped into his head. He lifted himself off the futon in his living room, hell, even held her hair when she vomited into the toilet. When he asked where she had been all night, he saw her cry. He had seen her cry once or twice before, for minor things. A few tears here, a few tears there. But not this time. Salty water poured down her face as she constantly apologized into his shoulder.

He wouldn't let her know it, but when she left for work later on, he sobbed alone, betrayal evident in his heart.

"It isn't that I'm obligated, Toph," he whispered, though her ears pick it up with ease. "I told you I loved you and I meant it...but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to be hurt about what you did."

"I know," she replied hardly, arms locking tightly over her chest.

He slowly closed the gap between them, dropping to his knees in front of her. Carefully, he undid the bottom buttons on her flannel, exposing her slightly swollen stomach. His dark hands brushed over her skin. She froze in surprise, not expecting a reaction as gentle as this.

"If you think I won't love the baby, you're crazy," he mumbled.

"Hey, I'm not the one who's worried," she told him with a tiny little laugh. "I'm not the one who just dove into a coat closet."

He couldn't help but grin up at her.

She was lying, of course, when she said she wasn't worried. In fact, this was the argument she had been dreading, the one that silently crept alongside them like a dark shadow. But Sokka let her have this one.

"I'm sorry," she exhaled. "I really..." She held his hands tighter against her stomach, relishing in his touch. "I really am."

Sokka nodded, gently setting his lips on her navel, feeling the life under her skin. Anticipation bubbled and he smiled against her gut.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered, running her fingers along the loose strands of hair on his head.

Sokka straightened up, grasping her hand in his. The pair emerged from the closet, back into the crowd of passion and exhilaration. But instead of joining the throngs of people as they groped on the color-flashing dance floor, they brushed past Ty Lee, emerging into the somehow cooler air. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she led his stumbling frame back home.

Sparks of hope ignited in his chest as they walk underneath the light of the early morning.

So, I just hammered this one out in a few hours and it's late at night/early in the morning so please forgive me if it sucked or didn't make any sense. :)

Also, I'm slightly convinced that Toph might be a wee bit OCC in this but, hey.

Plus...you know, the 1990s.

Peace, L.